Government investigates J&J’s hip devices, surgical mesh

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is at the center of two government investigations related to its hip devices and surgical mesh products.

In a regulatory filing today, the world’s largest seller of health care products disclosed that the Department of Justice requested documents related to whether the company may have submitted false claims to federal health care programs concerning its ASR XL hip devices. The company recalled the devices in August 2010. More than 10,000 lawsuits claiming J&J defectively designed its hip device and failed to warn consumers about possible problems related to it are currently pending in the U.S.

The regulatory filing also notes that 42 states are involved in a probe into the marketing of J&J’s mesh products for hernia and urogynecological purposes. J&J faces at least 1,800 suits concerning its vaginal mesh designed to support pelvic muscles.